A level

Access to HE Diploma

We recognise the EPQ as an excellent indicator of success.
If you are predicted a grade B or above in the EPQ, you will receive an offer with a one
grade reduction, to include your EPQ with a grade B.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSEs: English/Welsh Language Grade C, Spanish Grade B

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

B + BB at A-Level

UCAS Tariff

120

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course

Source: UCAS

Course option

4.0years

Full-time | 2020

Subjects

Spanish studies

International relations

Studying an International Relations degree allows you to explore a range of complex and profoundly important dynamics, such as those between globalisation and human rights, international and regional politics, and peace and conflict. Alongside this you will undertake a deep study of Spanish language, culture and fiction. During a year in Spain, you will either study at a university, teach in a school or work in a business.

Graduates with a strong understanding of international relations are critical to all our futures. Our four-year degree helps to provide a wealth of inspiring career opportunities thanks to numerous transferable skills which are highly valued by employers.

International Relations at Swansea is ranked in the Top-10 for teaching experience (Times and Sunday Times 2018), Top-20 in the Guardian University Guide 2018 and Top-20 for career prospects (Guardian University Guide 2018). Some 91% of graduates from this subject area are employed or in further study 6 months after graduating (Destination of Leavers from HE survey 2015) and 74% of our students achieved a 1st class or 2.1 honours degree in 2017/18.

Your early studies will concentrate on war and peace in the nuclear age, and how politics and international relations are defined, together with Spanish language and culture. But whether your true passion lies in American politics and society, ethics and justice or the unique cultural environment of Barcelona, our range of first year modules has it covered. This range enables you to discover, learn and narrow your individual interests in later study.

As one of a select few UK universities, Swansea offers prestigious modules in British Parliamentary Studies. Teaching is delivered by specialist academic staff and members of parliament, and you can visit the House of Commons in London.

Based on our stunning Singleton Park campus overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula, you will have the ability to tailor your degree according to your specific interests as you progress.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my year abroad and cannot emphasise enough the benefits to be gained. Studying a foreign language opens the door to a whole world of new possibilities, and their value in the jobs market shouldn't be underestimated.” – Sophie Williams.

The year abroad will enrich your student experience and boost your career prospects. Later studies are shaped by modules around your specific interests and a substantial dissertation project, while a number of work placement programmes are available to help you prepare for graduate life.

Students typically develop oral and writing skills through presenting ideas in different formats, supported by strong research and rigorous analysis. Assessment is conducted through essays, coursework, examination, presentations and a dissertation.

Teaching is informed by a vibrant and supportive research environment that unites academics, postgraduates and visiting scholars around shared subject matter.

Graduates of International Relations and Spanish have truly international potential and gain employment around the world. They have careers in education, government and politics, humanitarian organisations, media and public relations, and law and public services.

**We guarantee that you will be made a conditional offer for a course at Swansea University. Subject requirements will apply. Please come along to our next Open Day or get in touch for further information.**

Modules

You will study six modules each year to include compulsory and optional modules. Module selection options may change.

Assessment methods

This degree programme is delivered through lectures, tutorials and seminars. You will usually receive nine hours minimum scheduled contact time with your teachers every week. Full attendance at lectures, seminars and personal tutorials (personal tutorials are obligatory). All Arts and Humanities degree programmes include independent learning which requires initiative and hard work.
We will challenge you with demanding teaching and assessment. Assessment includes essay, coursework and examination, presentations and a dissertation.

What students say

We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

75%

med

Spanish studies

86%

high

International relations

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Student voice

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

History

C

Government & Politics

C

English Literature

C

After graduation

Source: DHLE and HECSU

The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Iberian studies

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£18,500

med

Average annual salary

100%

high

Employed or in further education

97%

low

Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

12%

Sales, marketing and related associate professionals

10%

Business, finance and related associate professionals

10%

Other elementary services occupations

It's often said there's a shortage of modern language graduates, and graduates from Spanish courses have a lot of options available to them when they complete their courses. In 2015, nearly 1300 UK graduates got degrees in Spanish and the subject is seeing its popularity increase. About one in five got jobs overseas — often as English teachers. If you want to put your degree to work in the UK, teacher training is a common option, and businesses see Spanish-speaking countries as important markets, leading to graduate opportunities in marketing, human resources, sales and project management. But remember — whilst employers say they rate graduates who have more than one language, you need to have them as part of a whole package of good skills.

Politics

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£20,000

med

Average annual salary

100%

high

Employed or in further education

78%

med

Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

15%

Sales, marketing and related associate professionals

12%

Other administrative occupations

8%

Childcare and related personal services

The numbers of people taking politics degrees fell sharply last year and we'll keep an eye on this one - it can't really be because of graduates getting poor outcomes as politics grads do about as well as graduates on average. Most politics or international relations graduates don't actually go into politics - although many do, as activists, fundraisers and researchers. Jobs in local and central government are also important. Other popular jobs include marketing and PR, youth and community work, finance roles, HR and academic research (you usually need a postgraduate degree to get into research). Because so many graduates get jobs in the civil service, a lot of graduates find themselves in London after graduating. Politics is a very popular postgraduate subject, and so about one in five politics graduates go on to take another course - usually a one-year Masters - after they finish their degrees.

What about your long term prospects?

Source: LEO

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Spanish studies

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£17k

£17k

First year

£20k

£20k

Third year

£23k

£23k

Fifth year

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

International relations

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£16k

£16k

First year

£20k

£20k

Third year

£21k

£21k

Fifth year

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

We calculate a mean rating of all responses to indicate whether this is high, medium or low compared to the same subject area at other universities.

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?